


"You okay?"

by AverageOriginal



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-30
Updated: 2018-03-09
Packaged: 2019-03-05 12:29:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 21,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13387821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AverageOriginal/pseuds/AverageOriginal
Summary: A series of moments between Sara and Ava as their relationship progresses.(Written during the break after Beebo the God of War)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Normally I'd wait until I've edited the whole piece, but I want to start getting this story posted before more info comes out about the remaining episodes that probably will make me want to re-write everything.  
> First chapter is imagined post-"Daddy Darhkest".

Ava assumed Sara would be in the parlour. She wasn't expecting her to be lying on the floor though, seemingly staring up at the ceiling. The legs dangling down over the few steps is a nice touch. Sara hears the footsteps approaching and can guess who it is, but hopes Ava keeps walking. Doesn't expect it, but hopes. Ava does indeed sit herself down on the top step, and watches Sara for a few seconds.  
"I haven't gotten a full tour, but I'm sure there are more comfortable places to lie down." Sara lets out an exaggerated sigh before answering,  
"Do you want something?" Ava wants to fire back with, 'What are you offering?' but she's too tired for a repeat of their square-off all around the ship a while back.  
"I wanted to say thank you for letting me tag along. I don't understand why Director Bennett didn't want the Time Bureau involved, but this couldn't be ignored." Sara opens her eyes and glances over for a moment, then focuses back on the ceiling.  
"No problem." With that short glance, Ava can tell Sara's got a lot on her mind. And she's been extra snippy through all this (and that's saying something). And not just with her, as usual, but with everyone. Ava decides to offer up what she's figured might be getting Sara on edge.  
"You know, I hate dealing with kids like this." Sara looks over again, and they make eye contact.  
"You, Ray, and Zari were great with pipsqueak Nora and her friend when I saw you guys." Sara sits up, mirroring Ava's hunched posture.  
"No, kids are fine." Ava explains. "I don't hate kids, I hate dealing with them on cases. Kids being involved sucks, because it's never anything good, it seems. This was definitely even more complicated." Sara keeps her expression neutral, but Ava's comment momentarily throws her. There's a lot about this that is going through her head (John's appearance, Jax being gone, Leo's ambivalence about staying onboard), but Nora as a kid is a part of it. Ava's sort of hit that nail on the head.  
"Yup." Ava's annoyance grows as she realizes that's all Sara's responding with. She was hoping for something more than that, even just a mention of a past anachronism or something. It seems that Sara is happy enough to sit in silence until Ava gets fed up and leaves. And that really bugs Ava, more than she knows it should.  
"Just yup. That's it?"  
"What?" Sara isn't dense enough to not understand what Ava was trying to do.  
"What? Really? I'm trying to get a conversation going, and "Yup" is the response. It seems like you need to unload, but whatever." Ava shakes her head and stands up. "Fine, keep everything to yourself. Forget it. See you next time you need something." Ava walks off, and Sara can tell she's tapping away at her time courier.  
"Wait." Sara says, irritated. Ava turns back and drops her hands to her sides. Both women stare angrily at each other for a moment. "You think I can just start ranting, or break into song at the drop of a hat? I'm the captain."  
"I don't mean that and you know it, so don't..." Ava shakes her head, not bothering to complete the thought. "You're a good leader, Sara. A great one, I hate to admit. Your team all respect you, and they trust your judgement. But you're not made of stone, and they don't expect you to be. I get it, I do, but you don't have to be the cool, composed, stoic, 'the only emotions I show are anger and annoyance' type of leader all the time. You're allowed to process every once in a while. I figured I'd give you the chance."  
"My team needs me, and we work when I keep it together." Ava comes and sits back down.  
"I'm not on your team, so that's a lame excuse." Sara exhales, wishing Ava hadn't just said that. She can't argue with the simple logic. "Like I said, I'm offering you a chance to unload. Even just a bit, about any of it. Talk about how any decision involving Nora feels like the wrong one, because that's how I sure as hell feel." Ava sighs, her annoyance starting to surface again. "But if you don't want to, fine. Sit and brood 24/7 if that's what you want." She leans back, resting on her hands, giving Sara a moment to consider what she has said. After some silence, Sara turns her head and looks over (Ava's attention is focused on Sara's face, so she can't miss the quick downward flick of Sara's eyes).  
"You're an asshole, you know that." Ava nods.  
"I get that a lot." She can tell Sara's admitting she's right, but that Sara is not going to concede any more by actually saying it.  
"Do you think we made the right choice? That I made the right choice?" The question comes out in a less angry, softer tone.  
"I think you all made a good decision, but there is no right choice. Save a kid, but one that's a young Nora, and let all this play out. Stop Nora and everything she's involved in, but let a child die. Either way, it stinks." She exhales a quick puff of air. "And that's not even touching on how it may or may not alter Damien Darhk's path once things solidify."  
"Exactly." Sara hunches over some more, shaking her head. "The fate of the world or a dead kid on all our hands. I've done all this second-guessing before, but... it doesn't make it easier." Of course, Ava thinks.  
"Of course not. But one of those options can hopefully be fixed going forward. You can't take back letting her die." There's no way Ava could have decided any different than Sara did. Being responsible for a child's death is not something she wants to have to deal with. She's avoided it until now, and she would have fought hard if the team had decided differently.  
"Thank you."  
"See, wasn't that better?" Ava asks after it grows quiet again.  
"If you want to gloat, you can go f--"  
"I didn't mean to sound like that, sorry." The interjection seems sincere, making Sara shake her head.  
"No, I'm being... difficult because you're right."  
"Don't worry, it doesn't happen that often." Ava's self-deprecation draws a small smile out of Sara.  
"Now this is a surprise, Ava Sharpe not being serious."  
"I'm serious about the job. But myself, not so much." Sara's not sure how much she believes that, but she'll give Ava the benefit of the doubt for now.  
"Nice to know you aren't completely devoid of a personality."  
"Nice to know you aren't completely made of stone." Ava tosses out as they make eye contact again when Sara looks to see if she got a rise out of the taller woman. The fact that she hasn't makes Sara crack a small, appreciative smile.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey, Sara, Ava's going at the punching bag pretty hard." Sara looks up at Ray standing in the doorway of the kitchen. While slightly shifting the ice pack on her elbow,  
"And?" He's taken aback, blinking in surprise for a few seconds before walking in.  
"And, someone should check if she's alright. You can hear her all the way down the corridor."  
"We've all had a rough day. Can't blame her." With Leo gone and Wally still getting used to things, everyone had seemed to be a bit more on edge the past couple days getting this anachronism fixed.  
"Well, I figured you might want to know. She really stuck her neck out for us. Again." Ray stands there for a few seconds, then shakes his head as he exits, grabbing an apple from the table. They're not fooling anybody, except themselves.

Sara can hear the thuds and grunts Ray mentioned before she turns the corner. Entering the cargo bay, she sees Ava giving the heavy bag Nate put up a solid beating. The frustration is evident in the effort Ava's putting in. She appreciates Ava's form for a moment (and Ava herself, she admits, since the workout clothes are a nice change from the typical suit) before walking over and taking ahold of the bag to steady it. Ava hardly pauses. Sara asks matter of factly,  
"You okay?"  
"Yes."  
"You're not."  
"No, I'm not." Ava grunts as she punches the bag again. She's pissed at Director Bennett for not helping. Yet. Again. She punctuates her frustration with some harder hits. Then her thoughts start coming out in a stream, so fast Sara has to focus rather hard to keep up. "What's the point of the Time Bureau if we aren't helping to fix the big problems, aren't using all our resources? Something small that even you couldn't screw up, fine. I get that. But this? Gutenberg disappearing and not changing the printing press would have literally affected everything. How many level eights and above have the Time Bureau and Director Bennett ignored now? Or essentially ignored?" Sara rolls her eyes at the small dig but leaves it alone.  
"Are you saying you think something else is going on?" Ava stops punching, catching her breath.  
"I can't think of... any reason that doesn't suck." Sara nods as Ava tosses some hair out of her eyes.  
"Mallus and Dahrk."  
"What else could it be?" Sara frowns and scrunches her nose as she offers up,  
"Maybe Bennett just wants us to get ourselves killed so we're out of the way?" She doesn't really believe it could be that simple, but she figures it's worth a shot.  
"No..." Ava shifts. "...other cases have been handled strangely, not just you guys. Though, you do get extra attention."  
"Then why are you even allowed to talk to us? Or just not been fired yet, considering you no doubt deserve it." Ava tilts her head, not amused.  
"Either Bennett wants information on you, or there's a worse reason. I thought he was being cautious because of Darhk, trying to minimize damage, but now I can't shake the idea they're working together. I had thought he was on our side." Sara's eyes glance down at Ava again.  
"Okay. Get cleaned up, and we'll try to figure out..." Sara wobbles her head back and forth. "...how to figure out what's going on, without getting screwed." Ava nods and starts to get the boxing gloves off, pulling at the tie of one with her teeth. After a second Sara reaches over and takes Ava's other hand, working on the knot.  
"Thanks."  
"How'd you get both these on yourself?" Ava smirks.  
"That's a secret." Sara's eyebrow twitches up. As she tries to think of how to respond the realization dawns on her that her breathing is picking up as they maintain eye contact, they're standing really close, and she can feel Ava's quick pulse in her wrist. Sara settles on,  
"Meet you in the parlour in 20?" Ava nods as she grabs the glove and takes a step back, creating more distance between them.  
"This was okay, right?" She motions to the bag. "Last time I saw someone had put it up, and figured no one would mind."  
"Nate did. And yeah, any time. Especially if it means you fight with it and don't try and punch me."  
"I don't have to worry about this thing putting up any self-defense." Ava watches as the smug, confident smile she's seen before appears on Sara's face.  
"Yeah, notice I said try. But I am surprised, you seem the type that would have their own gym at home." Ava nods again,  
"I do, but... this is better." Then she walks out, leaving Sara to smirk at the slightly flirty tone.

They end up taking turns pacing around the parlour as they come up with a plan of attack. They've been circling the table, sitting down then popping back up to pace some more, and they've kept bickering the whole time. Their brainstorming has led to a partial course of action, and Sara splays both hands out on the table.  
"Okay... if you can handle essentially being a double agent, you--"  
"Of course I can."  
"--stay in Bennett's good books. Keep filing reports and act like you're completely behind the Bureau's mission." Ava cocks her head.  
"The messed up way Bennett seems to be interpreting it."  
"Exactly. Keep being the team player, be behind his decisions 100%. And try to figure out who's actually on Bennett and Darhk's side, who you can trust."  
"If you have any ideas on how to do that, I'm all ears." Sara doesn't respond. "Figures. I get to fill in all the details." Sara offers a fake smile,  
"I don't micro-manage." Ava just grumbles. "I'm sure you'll have fun making the Legends look completely inept in your reports, so that's a fair trade-off. As if you don't do that already. Make sure we..." She searches for the right word. "...stumble into fixing things, or that it's your involvement that gets everything worked out." Ava gives Sara a fake smile of her own.  
"That won't be much different than the truth, so sounds like a plan to me. What do you think?"  
"I hate it, but as long as you don't start actually believing it."  
"Oh sure, because you have never needed the Time Bureau's help before."  
"Not that much."  
"Only because you're stubborn." Sara fires back,  
"No, because all you agents have huge sticks up your butts and can't improvise." They glare at each other across the table, then they both smile a tad at the fact neither of them is backing down.  
"We're getting off track." Ava reins things in. "I need to be getting back, so let's hurry up." Sara stands up straighter, back to business.  
"Well, that's the paperwork covered. But in general... can you get a promotion or something so you're the one managing more response teams? That would help." Sara shakes her head dismissively. "No, you're probably not qualified enough for that." Ava opens her mouth to argue, but after a moment just huffs, closing her mouth again. She tries to let it go, but she doesn't keep it in for long.  
"You do know that's essentially what I already do, right?" The gears in Sara's head are spinning too quickly to respond. Ava sits down and watches Sara pace some more.  
"What about here on the Waverider so the Bureau's not breathing down our necks as much? If we disable tracking systems on the ship, would that affect how we look in the Time Bureau systems?" Hmm. "Or maybe we wouldn't be able to time jump. Is there a way to hide that, can we fake it somehow?" She's still mostly talking to herself, working through the idea. She realizes she really needs to learn more about how the ship actually works. "I'll see what Ray and Zari can figure out. And once Wally learns his way around the engines more, maybe there's something there." Ava stands back up and rejoins Sara by the table.  
"I know some of the people in Tech. If I can be sure they can be trusted and it won't come back to bite us in the ass, I'll see what I can get out of them. Maybe they'll have some info that Ray and Zari can work with. And anything else that could be helpful." Ava's easy use of "us" again provides extra reassurance for Sara about Ava's allegiances, if she had any remaining doubt.  
"Okay, well, this is a start. I'd say we go with it. We have to do something."  
"Seems I'm the one doing the work." Ava mumbles, but she gives Sara a look that indicates she's not trying to start another argument. "It'll take some time, but I'll let you know what I can find out." She walks across the room and grabs her suit jacket from where she'd thrown it over the back of a chair. Ava still has to go back to the office to report in, and after this whole conversation she really wants to just get it over with.  
"Thanks. Keep your head down so you don't raise suspicion." Sara watches Ava pull on the jacket with admittedly more interest than she would have before, the image of Ava boxing having given her a better idea of what's going on underneath the suit. She forces herself to look away before her watching turns into ogling though. As she's busy setting her time courier Ava responds,  
"I can say the same thing to you. Don't do anything stupider than normal."  
"We know what we're doing." Ava scoffs,  
"That's debatable."  
"We can't be that bad. Since you keep coming back." They look at each other, and Sara decides to try and ruffle Ava's feathers. She adds, "Unless there's another reason." Ava smiles, and Sara gets the sense she sees right through what Sara's trying to do. The smile is over-the-top, but there's a glint of amusement in her eyes.  
"It's just that you always give me such a warm welcome, how could I not?" With that, and another smirk, she opens a portal and walks away. Sara exhales slowly, then she chuckles. Even though Ava was frustrated at first, Sara's never seen her smile that much before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for checking out the first chapter, people. I hope this one amused as well.


	3. Chapter 3

"Because it doesn't help us!" Sara's voice is raised again and it makes Zari sigh, putting her fork down. She's had enough of trying to ignore it.  
"They have to know we can hear them, right?" Her comment is followed by yet another outburst down the hall. The volume keeps fluctuating, but they can all hear a lot of the argument clearly. She looks across the table to Wally and Amaya, and Wally keeps fiddling with the empty plate in front of him.  
"How long can they keep going?" He asks. "I wanted to leave five minutes ago, but I'm sort of afraid to walk out." Ray and Nate are waiting for him in the lab. Zari chuckles,  
"Smart."  
"Have they always been like this?" In the month or so he's been onboard Wally's sensed the tension as much as everyone else, but maybe it's something new.  
"As long as I've been here." Zari says in between chews.  
"If you'd consider for two seconds that if this wor--"  
"Yup." Amaya agrees, over another frustrated back and forth exchange. "It's two steps forward one step back with them." She frowns. "This is unusual though, they usually just insult each other at normal volume."  
"Yeah, something's clearly got them tenser than normal." Zari adds. There's a bang, like one of them has hit the corridor wall in anger, then Ava's voice rises up.  
"I know how the Time Bureau works, the ins and outs. Does none of that mean anything? What other reasons do I need? Hell, I'm older and taller than you. What can I say to convince you?" There's a disbelieving laugh from Sara.  
"Yeah, those three years really make a difference. You sound like a child! You can keep trying anything you want, but we're not doing it. It's too dangerous, it's not worth the risk!" Sara's response is taut, like despite the yelling she's still straining to contain herself. Amaya stands up and grabs another drink,  
"It'd be nice if they could keep it down. I've never heard Sara like this before."  
"Or they could at least stop going around in circles over and over." Wally's suddenly having flashbacks to fights with his ex. "One of them has to give up eventually."  
"Sara's right. Ava knows how other agents will react, but if we tried a retrieval like that it wouldn't work. And right under the Time Bureau's nose, no less." Amaya surmises while she sits back down. "Though, sounds like she's being a child too."  
"I worked my ass off for this, the least you can do is look at it!" In the quick silence that follows before the arguing resumes, Wally snorts.  
"Ava could have worded that a bit better." He smirks, and Zari chuckles,  
"No, maybe she got it right."  
"They should just sleep together and get it over with. Or have they, and that's the problem?" Wally asks.  
"No, I don't think so. And that wouldn't change anything anyway. They're the types that just keep poking at each other." Amaya comments.  
"I can't believe I even thought--" There's a pause. "Can you please just stop and think for one second?" Ava seems to have calmed herself down.  
"There's no way. We'd be wasting our time." The finality they can all hear in Sara's tone is telling. Sure enough,  
"God, it's like pulling teeth with you!" Silence falls quickly after Ava groans. Then, after some paper rustling, there's a quick buzzing whoosh before some footsteps start coming closer.  
"Was that..." Wally trails off.  
"Time courier." Zari confirms. A few seconds later Sara comes stalking into the kitchen, eyes down, clearly mad. Suddenly the sounds of cutlery fill the kitchen as they all act very interested in their dinners. Wally stops quickly, realizing he's just tapping a fork on his empty plate like an idiot. As Sara's cutting a piece of lasagna she starts to feel that everyone's watching her.  
"What?" She barks, turning around. Mick, who's been trying to ignore everything from the corner of the room, has had enough. Picking his current beer, and another for the road, he gets up and walks out.  
"Women." He grumbles.


	4. Chapter 4

Two days later, Sara's sitting in the parlour with her feet up on the table when the quiet is disrupted by a couple of beeps, then,  
"Incoming transmission from Agent Sharpe." She twists in the chair, frowning. After pinching her nose for a second and bracing herself, she exhales,  
"Put her on, Gideon." A second later Ava fills the screen in front of her.  
"Hi." She looks serious. "Can I come onboard?" Sara nods, but doesn't say anything. Ava nods back and ends the call, then with a buzz a portal opens and she's walking in. Sara twists back and notices Ava's not in her usual suit. The odd sight of her in jeans and a t-shirt, coupled with the serious expression on her face, takes the edge off Sara's annoyance.  
"Was there a fire at the dry cleaners?" Ava glances down, taking a second to get Sara's meaning. Then she explains,  
"It's Sunday for me."  
"Right." Ava stops in front of the table and takes a deep breath.  
"I shouldn't have gotten so angry. I'm sorry. The fact that you didn't seem to be listening pissed me off, which is no excuse, but I... I just..." Ava trails off, shaking her head in disappointment at herself. Sara's constantly infuriating her in so many ways, but the way Sara makes her feel out of sorts so often is the most frustrating. She normally would never have reacted like that. Sara appreciates the apology, even if Ava hasn't gotten much of it out.  
"And I'm sorry too." Sara offers as she sits up. "I have to look out for the team, make sure everyone gets to go home. This is dangerous enough, and I am not risking losing anyone else by doing it in a way that I know would go sideways." She tilts her head. "But I should have started by actually saying that rather than just dismissing the idea. If we were the Time Bureau, with everyone having the same training, I can see how it would work. But for just us, there's no way that plan wouldn't get screwed up somehow." Considering Mick ended up being knocked unconscious, Sara's concerns were warranted. Ava's taken aback by Sara's comment. It's a surprising admission of a fault, and she can't contain her reaction.  
"Wow. Sorry, but..." She starts to crack a smile. "...that's new. Admitting the team is fallible."  
"Our strength is we can work through that, but your idea for grabbing the book had no room for error." Ava nods. She'd realized that night her 'Time Bureau' way of thinking wouldn't work for them. If she had been right Ava would be fine with Sara being mad at her, and vice versa. But since she was wrong it's been bugging her.  
"That may all be true, but I was wrong and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten so frustrated. Or at least not have shown it." Sara leans forward on the desk with an amused smile pulling at her lips.  
"You're the one who told me processing emotions is a good thing." Ava's relieved Sara has seemed to accept her apology and is easing some of the tension.  
"Processing, yes. A yelling match, no. I'm usually better than that."  
"Don't worry about it." Sara dismisses, hoping Ava isn't beating herself up too much. They had both ended up in each other's faces. Literally, which became very distracting when they were inches from one another. After a quiet few seconds, while Sara's thinking back to the moment when she'd had the urge to lean in for a kiss, Ava gets down to business.  
"There was another reason I'd come by on Friday." Ava comes around the table and hands Sara a new communication device. "Here, to replace the one you have. There's going to be updates coming and now they're going to be recording everything, any call." Sara grows serious again.  
"Should we destroy the other one? Mick will be happy to handle that."  
"No, I need to get that from you. I'm going to pretend it's mine if the Bureau's swapping them out, not just upgrading. This new one is just... synched, or whatever, to one I've got. They'll only talk to each other, so we should be good to keep using it. I trust Matthew in Tech, and he's a whiz. He rigged these up." Sara nods absent-mindedly, sticking out her bottom lip.  
"Way to go, Matthew." Sara has no idea who that is, but if he's on the right side, good.  
"And if I got caught having two of these, I'd be screwed. So I've got to keep the linked one at home."  
"Off-hours, got it." Sara nods some more. "We will only have emergencies between the hours of 6:00 pm and 7:00 am. Will that work for you?" Ava can tell Sara's just teasing.  
"Maybe Ray can work on relaying the signal with one of your earpieces or something. I'm going to talk with Matthew some more about it. But for now, yes, if it's something related to Darhk and Mallus and we can't disguise it as some other anachronism, then it can't be urgent. Unless you drop into 2017 and use a cell phone." She frowns. "As weird as it sounds, a cell phone is almost a more secure option than what we'll have in a week or so." Ava adds with an amused lilt. Sara gets up and grabs the old device off a shelf, handing it over.  
"Here. But give me your number, just in case." Ava writes it out as Sara sits back down and swings her legs up onto the table again.  
"So... we're okay?" Ava asks after the silence between them seems to be going on too long. Sara taps Ava's leg with her foot while she gives Ava a smile and a nod.  
"Yeah, we're good."  
"Thanks."  
"I was about to find another anachronism, an easy one. Want to join us?" Ava scrunches up her face a bit.  
"I would, but I can't. Not to mention pro bono work on my one day off would raise some serious red flags." Sara can't quite read Ava's tone, but it piques her interest.  
"You've got exciting plans?"  
"Hot date." Ava's eyes light up and she forces down a grin at Sara's reaction. She can see the surprise as Sara instinctually tucks her chin in and her eyebrows flick up slightly. Ava smirks and continues, "With my cousin. He's picking me up and we're going to a baseball game." Sara nods out of embarrassment under Ava's amused scrutiny.  
"Have fun."  
"I will. And be careful, alright? Don't get yourselves killed. But call me if you do." Sara lets out a chuckle.  
"We'll call you the second it happens, don't worry."


	5. Chapter 5

Ava knocks on the door to Sara's quarters, but gets no response. They all saw her disappear about an hour ago, and it's the only place left she could be.  
"Sara?" She asks, knocking again. When there's still nothing, "Gideon, is Sara in there? Please?" She asks loud enough to be heard on the other side of the door.  
"She is, Agent Sharpe."  
"No, she's not." Sara barks grumpily from inside. Ava smirks to herself, taking the response as a positive sign. Sara could have kept her mouth shut.  
"Have you forgotten that I don't need your okay, technically?" She looks down at her wrist. "A few taps and a closed door doesn't really matter." Sara has to realize Ava's disguising a request as a threat. Ava expects Sara's extra annoyed, perhaps pinching her nose, but she's happy when the doors slide open with a hiss. "Thank you." Ava exhales, stepping in. She looks around the room as the doors shut behind her. Sara clearly hasn't added many personal touches in here since they stole the ship (okay, fine, took it back). Sara's brooding in a chair in the darkest corner, and she couldn't have chosen a better reflection of her mood if she wanted to. There's nowhere in the sparse room for Ava to sit besides the bed, which gives her a moment's pause. But Ava's too concerned about Sara's attitude to give it much consideration before she sits down. "What's going on, Sara?" She looks over to find Sara glaring across the room at her. "Something has been up all day, since jumping from 2017 to 2136. This anachronism hasn't been that tough, relatively speaking." Sara glares some more, then explains,  
"Ava, I really don't feel like talking right now. Especially not with you." Ouch. Ava tilts her head and doesn't look away.  
"Well, I'm the one here." That comment hangs in the air for a moment, both women realizing the accurate yet unintended double meaning. Sara mentally concedes that she doesn't want to just brood in silence. She wants to unload, and Ava takes it better than anyone. Sara gets up and starts pacing slowly.  
"You, yesterday when I called, seeing Jax two weeks ago... it's weird seeing these normal lives and then coming back here to all this. It just makes me realize how different this is. You get used to it, but then I see normal and it's... light years away from this." Sara stops pacing as Ava lets out a chuckle then looks at Sara incredulously.  
"You think my life is normal? Are you insane?" Sara tilts her head back and forth.  
"Okay, not normal." She sits down besides Ava. "You have a double life, but it's half normal." Well, it's more of a triple life really, with the spying at the Time Bureau. "You've got a family and friends. You were out at brunch when we called you. That's at least sort of normal. You've got a normal life that you go back to. Jax is living his life, and he's happy. All this, he's been able to move on and he's doing good. Hanging out with friends, and his mechanics job. Sometimes it's almost hard to remember having a life like that." Everything before the Queen's Gambit went down seems almost foreign now.  
"Okay, well one, you've said Jax is still working through a lot, so who knows what's actually going on with him. And me, on those rare days I'm not running around after God knows what, everyone thinks I work in HR." The disgust in Ava's voice teases a bit of a smile out of Sara. "And most of the time I find my friends and family so boring I want to scream. Going on about the stupidest, inconsequential things when I am literally saving the world as they know it. It makes my mom's five-minute rant at brunch about her yoga instructor being late seem really stupid. Normal is boring and overrated. And I was ready to strangle my aunt when you called. You probably saved her life." Ava tries to make Sara smile.  
"So you aren't just waiting for the day you can clock out and retire."  
"God no." Ava responds without having to think first. "Don't get me wrong, I don't want time to constantly be at risk of ripping apart. And I can't wait for us to figure out how to stop Mallus and get to Darhk. But if the day comes that this job is irrelevant, I won't know what to do with myself." She doesn't want to go back into the Army like before, and she doesn't know what else she'd do. Sara nods a few times, and Ava's not sure how to take that. "Are you just waiting until you can retire to some beach somewhere? Get out and move on?" Ava thought Sara was just observing the differences, but maybe she's misread this conversation and Sara's actually jealous of 'normal.'  
"No. No, but I want to want to." Ava nods, understanding more. "I used to, a lifetime ago." In Sara's case, that's a very accurate statement. "But I was going out of my mind doing normal things when Rip disbanded the team. And with everything..." Sara exhales. "...Laurel, Martin, everything I've done, things are different now. I'm not that person anymore. And sometimes I'm reminded of how different that person is. Was. It would be hard to get back to that." Sara sounds resigned, but a bit sad. Ava doesn't want to say the wrong thing, but she wants to say something to try and make her feel better.  
"Look..." She hesitates and weighs her options, but then takes the chance and reaches between them for Sara's hand, giving it a squeeze. Still holding on, "...you're okay. I don't really know what you've gone through, but you shouldn't thi--"  
"You've read my Time Bureau file. You've pointed out all my mistakes before." Ava could have done without the interruption, but she just changes course and goes with it.  
"Reading a report with a bunch of facts doesn't tell you how someone's affected. How everything's made them feel. It's always more complicated than that. There's a big difference between a file and the truth." Ava pauses, but the amused smirk that appears on Sara's face stops her from continuing. She notices the way Sara's eyes linger on, she thinks, her lips for a moment. She could be wrong though. From Sara's perspective, Ava saying a report isn't the be all and end all is huge.  
"Is that your way of asking for my life story?" Ava smirks back and explains,  
"Not all at once, don't worry." She moves on. "I was going to say I don't really know what you've been through, but of course you're a different person than you were. I hope you aren't judging this version of you too harshly though. You're reckless, and screw up so much, but you have good intentions. You're okay where you are right now." Sara knows the Ava she first met would never have made that big of a concession. It's a nice compliment to get. After a pause Sara looks down and turns her hand up, their fingers interlacing.  
"Thank you, that's... nice of you to say." She finds herself, yet again, intrigued by this woman. In the silence that follows they each recognize there's two directions this moment can go. They could dispense with the growing energy between them, or let it keep building some more. Giving in to the desire to kiss each other is definitely tempting for Ava. And Sara would normally go for the usual quick and hot option as well. But Sara has to admit, as odd and unfamiliar as it feels, that she doesn't want this thing with Ava to be over just yet. Ava makes the same choice, deciding to retreat back to the safety of their usual banter. Better to leave things where they are for now. She takes a deep breath in, deflating some of the tension.  
"I have to tell you, it's weird. Meeting someone who's supposed to be this big, horrible screw-up, then you find out that's only half true." Sara raises her eyebrows and smiles again.  
"Half?"  
"70-30?" That makes her chuckle.  
"Coming from you, I'll take it." Ava sits up a bit straighter.  
"On that positive note then, I should go." She groans slightly, "There's a lot of paperwork to fake for this trip." The fake reports seem to be deflecting attention so far, but it doesn't make the job of writing them suck any less. "It's getting harder and harder to cover our tracks."  
"We appreciate you always making us look like complete idiots." Ava stands and offhands,  
"Happy to." Sara chuckles some more,  
"I bet you are." Silence briefly descends around them again, then Ava motions to the door.  
"Everyone's going out to find a bar, see what drinks the year 2136 has to offer. You should go." Ava adds, "It's the closest to normal this group can seem to get. At least for now." Sara weights the options of joining them, or staying here by herself.  
"You're not going? The report can wait an hour or two, surely."  
"I was very tempted." With Ava standing in front of her, it's an easy choice for Sara to make. She stands up as well.  
"Come on." They both head for the cargo bay in comfortable silence, walking shoulder to shoulder despite the wide corridors. Ava doesn't know when things will irrevocably shift between them, but she can tell they just took another step closer towards it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since Daddy Darhkest has now aired, it's making me want to tweak things (some of this stuff, especially this chapter, actually ties in slightly) or add to the remaining chapters as I type them out. But if I did, I'd be tempted to do it after each new episode as well. So, let's just pretend we're in an alternate timeline where the show hasn't returned from hiatus, right? Yes. Okay then, let's proceed.

They're in the parlour again, trying to make sense of all the papers spread out in front of them on the table. Darhk's face is staring back at them in various pictures. Zari's just walked out, leaving the two of them alone as she goes to see if Ray's finished his work on the new tracking system. Sara's sigh draws Ava's attention.  
"You okay?" Sara doesn't say anything. "We'll get him." Ava reassures.  
"I'm worried about what happens when we do." Ava's shocked. Not at the emotions she assumes Sara's dealing with, but that she's admitting it so easily.  
"What?" Ava asks, hoping Sara won't clam up. Sara grows quieter, looking at the ground for a moment.  
"I don't know what that will bring up."  
"It'll bring resolution?" Ava slowly offers the obvious choice.  
"Yes, but I don't know how long that feeling will last. I'm always afraid to let my guard down. Especially dealing with Darhk so much. If I let down my defences, if I let go of this... drive to get him that's been the focus for so long, I don't know what that will allow in. Every time Darhk rears his ugly, smug head I can feel a bit of the darkness creeping back in for a while. I might lose any progress I've made after Laurel died. I can't let her down like that." There's a pause.  
"Your sister would be proud of you. You have to know that." Ava stresses. She doesn't see how Sara could think otherwise.  
"I miss her so much." Sara's voice wavers. "We're in a time ship, and the one thing in the world I want to fix, I can't. All the people we've helped, and yet I can't go back and save her. Killing Darhk is the only thing I can do. For Laurel, and everyone else he's murdered. I know that, but I'm still worried what killing him will do to me when we catch up with him." She frowns, then shakes her head and looks up at the ceiling for a second, taking a breath. "I'm not really explaining myself well, am I? I know it sounds weird."  
"No, I think I understand what you're trying to say."  
"I'm afraid of not having to fight so much. I don't know what that might mean, letting go of that. If I don't have that to hold onto anymore, I'm not sure what will come back."  
"Everyone can see you're worried. You've been acting strange lately." As they've all been feeling more desperate and searching for ideas, Sara's been more withdrawn and stoic. "But letting your guard down in one way isn't like opening the floodgates for everything else." Ava tries to reassure her. "Even with your... unique situation, I don't think that's how it works. And plus, you're stronger than that. You're the strongest person on this ship, you can handle anything."  
"And what if I can't?"  
"Then we're here for you." She continues, with extra sincerity since she's getting tired of playing around, "I'm here for you." She lets that linger for a couple seconds. "And if you're worried killing Darhk will bring up too much, the actual act of killing him, we'll do it. I promise you, we'll get him." Ava volunteers, "I'll kill him myself, and I'm sure all the others would say the same. We all care about you, and we all want him gone. Besides, it's not like there aren't plenty of anachronisms to focus on, even if Darhk and Mallus weren't around. There are other things for you to turn your attention to that can distract you if you feel you need it." Ava would gladly volunteer for that too.  
"There's always something, you're right about that." Sara concedes.  
"Like I've said before, you're a pretty good person. I can't see that changing. But you never know, without the spectre of Darhk all the time and if those defences come down a bit, the other parts of you could be nice to see." As soon as the words come out of her mouth the double entendre lands. They both smirk. Ava admits, "That's not what I meant, but yeah, that too." Sara's not looking as depressed now, which makes Ava happy despite the subconscious gaff.  
"Do you get paid for providing reassurance? You keep trying to make me feel better."  
"I hope it keeps working. Even if I can't make you feel better though, I can make sure you know you don't have to deal with things all by yourself." Was that too much? "We're all here." Ava adds. It's true, Sara knows it, but she can tell Ava's tacked it on to save face. It's cute. She watches Ava for a few long moments. She shouldn't be surprised at this point by Ava's kind words and understanding, but she still is slightly. This woman keep surprising her and earning her respect over and over.  
"Thank you, that's a nice thing to say." Ava smiles and gives Sara's hand a pat before leaning over closer.  
"It's true. You just seem to need reminding every once in a while." They each flick their gaze down for a second, and Sara begins leaning in some more.  
"Guys! I finally found it! I wasn't su--" Nate runs in from where he's been holed up in the library all day, and he's amped up on too may coffees. He comprehends how close the two women are and what he has almost witnessed. "Sorry, if you're having a moment I can come back." Sara turns, taking a small step away from Ava.  
"We were, but it's fine. What's going on? I can practically hear you jittering." Ava is surprised by Sara's openness, and Sara can see that surprise when she glances over. But Sara's seen Nate like this enough to know he's so focused on his own thing he's probably not even really listening.  
"A book, there's a book!"  
"What are you talking about?" Sara questions.  
"I wasn't sure if it was just a myth, but it's not! Now we just have to track it down. But it's real!"  
"Nate, back up. What's real?" Sara tries to slow him down again. He starts explaining, his hands still flailing around.  
"There's a book, it's ancient-- well, a pamphlet-- with incantations that supposedly can work against the Khushu Idol. I found proof it actually exists! If we find it, it could exponentially limit some of Darhk's healing powers."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah, we'd be able to wear him down, as long as we can deal with the whole telekinesis thing. Come on, let me show you." He motions for them to follow as he hops down the stairs. Nate wanting to show off his investigative prowess is sort of sweet. Ava wonders how Nate's timing could be so wrong and yet so right. But if this is legit, and they can find it and use it, she doesn't really mind the interruption.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One thing I am changing since DD has aired: I've added to the chapter count. I had planned to not post the last chapter I've written (since I realized it made the arc of this similar to something else I'd written). But, after the whole "kind of girl you take home to your parents" exchange, how can I not post a scenario which is essentially that? So that's now coming down the pipe.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Better? :)

Sara finds Ava in the parlour, writing out notes long-hand, getting her thoughts in order and figuring out what to put in her report when she gets off the ship.

"You okay? How's it going?"

"Frustrating." Ava's tone is a tired one, and she's rubbing her neck. Coming around, Sara reads over Ava's shoulder for a second. 

"I know it's getting harder and harder to pull this off. Thank you again for all of it. You're the one that has to sell it and make it believable." If it's not, Ava faces harsher outcomes than the rest of them. They'd probably just be killed but who knows what else Bennett, on Darhk's behalf, would do to Ava before that to send a message to others in the Time Bureau. "So, thank you for being so good at lying." Ava glances up, dropping her hand onto the table.

"Of course. This is important." She returns her attention to the paper in front of her, then lets out a long, quiet sigh. "The Time Bureau isn't the organization that it was supposed to be when Rip started it. That it used to be. It's not as if there's a huge group that even knows about Mallus, so someone has to try and stop this. We have to do what we can. I don't want Mallus destroying everything. This is part of what I can do, cover our asses." Sara regards Ava for a while, thinking of how wrong she was about this woman at first. She leans down and turns Ava's head back, giving the woman a kiss. It's not hesitant exactly, but it's gentle and a bit unsure. After all this back and forth, she's not sure if it's the right moment. And Sara hasn't kissed anyone without it being essentially meaningless in a long, long time. Ava's surprised, but pleasantly. She had expected things would come to a head between them while they were arguing over something idiotic. Sara pulls back after a couple seconds, and both woman open their eyes. A smile starts to spread on Sara's lips, matched by one on Ava's. Another kiss follows and they start leaning into each other more, but Ava quickly grows tired of being stuck sitting down. In the middle of a kiss she stands up quickly, getting herself on a more even level. She groans, a bit out of annoyance, as Sara pushes Ava against the desk, forcing her to sit on the edge. As Sara's hands move up to rest on Ava's cheeks she feels herself being pulled even closer, Ava's strong arms wrapping around her waist. 

"Come on, my room. Now." The tone and the huskiness as Sara catches her breath and gives Ava's hand a tug makes Ava want to get pulled along, but it also brings her back to reality. 

"Okay, ah... let's not. You think I'm going from a first kiss to hopping in bed?" Ava cajoles. "I'm not that kind of woman." She frowns, tilting her head. "Well, only sometimes." Sara lets out a short chuckle and gives Ava another long kiss. 

"No, grab your notes too. We'll keep working on it. Just... with some breaks." She smiles. "But we get caught here and we won't live it down." She leans in closer to Ava. "We need more privacy." Ava stands and tilts her head down for another peck. 

"I can't really argue with the captain, so I guess I have to agree."

"That's never stopped you from arguing before." Sara throws back as she starts walking off. Ava grabs the papers and quickly trails behind.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's the mature one, so if anyone wants to skip it, you've been warned.

While they've been dealing with Darhk's latest distraction anachronisms, Nate, Wally, and Sara have been taking almost every spare minute to try and track down the 'Alma' pamphlet, as they've started calling it. It's taken weeks, but with a lot of Gideon's processing power (and Wally's speed reading) they were able to pinpoint some times and places. They've all congregated on the bridge and have been throwing some ideas around. Some pretty good, others just wishful spit-balling, but Sara thinks they finally have a good enough plan of attack. 

"The Harvard dinner in 2004 seems better than Ellis Island in 1892. Since Mr. and Mrs. Tsongas are rarely out together but both attend that Associates Dinner thing, we double our chances. We go in, we get a key off one of them. Wally, you... zip off, hand it off to Mick and Zari by the house. You two get in, break into the safe, and Wally, you get the key back to us so we can return it. We'll stay at the dinner, distract Mr. and Mrs. Tsongas until we're all good, make sure they don't leave. They're none the wiser until it's too late, and we have the pamphlet." Sara and Nate both snap their fingers. 

"What if they don't carry a key or we can't get close enough?" Wally asks.

"Then Mick gets to break in, like he'll be tempted to do anyway." Mick nods with a throaty, pleased,

"Sounds like a plan." Sara continues, 

"That's a last resort." She stresses. "Darhk doesn't seem to know the Alma pamphlet exists, so we need this to work so we don't tip him off. If we keep this simple and don't get too complicated, it can work. Wally, if you go in as a valet, we can check their car first in case they don't use a car service. Ray, Ava, you two go early and pose as part of event security, that way we can have someone at the entrances, and can keep them there as long as possible if anything goes wrong. The rest of us..." She motions at herself, Amaya, and Nate. "...will be guests, and get a key." Ray counters, 

"Or, or, I could help break in. I read he's got an impressive collection of Patrick Ewing memorabilia." He sounds like an excited little kid. 

"The Dallas guy?" Mick's question makes Ray look over.

"Wha-- no, basketball." He gets a grunt in response.

"Sorry, Ray." Sara motions between him and Ava. "You two have resting G-man face. The rest of us would stick out like a sore thumb." Ray pulls his chin in, straightening up slightly and looking perplexed, while Ava frowns and tilts her head. Neither look helps their case. "See, exactly." 

"Why does everyone think I look like a federal agent?" He questions. Ava sympathetically pats him on the shoulder. 

"It's the chiselled good looks, don't worry." That perks him up for a moment, but then he mutters,

"Oh, what do you know..." Mick puts his beer bottle down after taking another swig.

"What's the point if we aren't breaking into the house?" 

"You still have the safe." 

"This is stupid." He grumbles, but doesn't say anything else. Sara looks around.

"Do we need to prep or are we ready to go?" Nobody offers any objection. "Gideon, can you make us all the necessary IDs and invitations?"

"I've already started, Captain."

"Then no time like the present!" Ray pauses, considering what he's said, then shakes his head. "You know what I mean."

\---

The event is getting busy, as everyone that's arriving 'fashionably late' shows up at the same time, when Ray informs from his entrance detail,

"Biff has arrived."

"For the last time, we are not calling him that." Sara's voice follows up across the comms.

"But we're stealing a book, it's just like Back to the Future."

"It is nothing like Back to the Future." Zari counters.

"I got them. Let's see how they act for a while. I'll keep on eye on her." Amaya puts an end to a childish argument before it starts.

"We're right behind him." Sara relays. Ava's surveying the room from her position near an exit, trying to pick him out of the crowd, when she spots Sara for the first time. The others showed up a while ago, but Sara and Nate were waiting to pull up the rear. And how Sara looks completely floors her. 

"Holy shit." She exhales, her eyes moving down the black dress that is amplifying every already fantastic attribute.

"What's wrong?"

"What?" Sara and Ray both pop in her ear.

"Oh, no, sorry, nevermind." Crap. She forgot her comm line was open. Ava taps her earpiece as her eyes move back up, only to see Sara's got a half-disbelieving, half-amused look on her face. Ava mouths 'wow,' gets a hint of a smile in return, then exhales again and forces herself to look away and get back to work.

\---

Ava's always prided herself on being professional and focusing on the task at hand. She's rarely had anything more than a moment of distraction, ever, and yet she is very relieved when they all successfully return to the Waverider with the pamphlet. Every time she scanned the room and Sara was in her field of vision she had to fight the urge to look over. Once they jump out of 2004 Sara and Nate go to the library to get the pamphlet scanned into Gideon's systems while the rest of them mill about in the parlour, all buzzing from a job well done. They're unsure of what to do so they just decide to call it quits, knowing they'll inevitably end up sitting around having a drink in a bit. Ava goes off to find Sara though, and to cut her off before she gets to her room. She reaches Sara at the top of the stairs, and quickly comes up behind her.

"You need to answer a question for me." She says as she leans over Sara's shoulder, pulling her backwards. 

"What?" Sara's not completely in the dark as to what Ava's getting at.

"You are aware of how stunning you look, right?" Sara smiles to herself, turning her head a tad to give Ava's lips a bit more room as they kiss behind her ear.

"I think the dress is pretty good." 

"Your dress is fantastic, but you in it is stunning." It's a sincere compliment, and Ava can't hide the lust she's been feeling off and on all night. It's not lost on Sara, who turns around and quickly pushes Ava against the corridor wall, gripping her waist. After a few moments, Ava groans, pushing them apart and getting them walking, so she doesn't start undressing Sara right there. They're at Sara's door when Sara leans into Ava again, and between more kisses she gets out,

"Everyone else has called it a night?" Ava answers as she moves Sara's hand from where it's gripping her waist again, 

"Yes. You're not shirking captain duties while we stand here." She grins, somewhat slyly, as she swipes Sara's hand over the entry pad. "But we won't be for long." Sara's kiss in response is harder, and they take a few stumbling steps in once the doors slide open. She works at untucking Ava's shirt, and after another brief pause backed up against the inside of the doors they move closer to the bed. When Ava reaches around Sara to undo the zipper of the dress, Sara lets out a chuckle.

"I thought you liked me in this dress." 

"I do. Doesn't mean I don't want you out of it." Ava's tone, coupled with the appreciative up and down look she gives, makes Sara's breath hitch. She pulls Ava's head up and they kiss again while she starts working her dress off. Ava admires Sara's ability to multi-task, as she's stepping out of the dress and unbuttoning Ava's shirt at the same time. The slow, impressed exhale from Ava's lips as her hands move up Sara's sides is involuntary, as is the look Sara sees in her eyes. Buoyed by Sara's quick removal of the dress, Ava reaches around Sara's back, this time dealing with her bra. Just as it drops to the floor Ava feels her knees hit the edge of the bed. She's forced to sit, quickly not minding the change as Sara straddles her lap. Ava's exploration of the extra skin in front of her, her mouth working down to Sara's chest, is very distracting to Sara as she's trying to pull Ava's shirt off. Ava looks up with a smile when Sara groans in frustration, and Ava can tell exactly what the problem is. "Oh, am I distracting you?"

"You're wearing too many clothes. And you're not helping fix that."

"Payback for how distracting you were. Trying to ignore you, and ignore the looks you were getting, was using all my willpower tonight." Sara sits up and puts on a fake air of seriousness.

"As the captain, should I be worried about your lack of focus?"

"Not when it matters." Like right now. After a couple more kisses Ava turns her attention back to Sara's chest, and when her mouth makes contact with the top of Sara's breast Sara lets out another groan.

"God, I've waited too long for that." Ava keeps going, trying to memorize as much as she can about how Sara feels, but her hands are torn away for a few seconds as Sara finally gets the shirt off, and then Ava's bra. When Sara pushes Ava down on the bed Ava tries pulling her down again but Sara's sitting up, so she takes a second to let it sink in that they're actually in this situation. That she's looking up at Sara, topless, sitting on top of her. Then she becomes aware Sara's looking at her as well, with the same desire, and it makes her squirm a bit.

"Alright, enough staring. Co--"

"I'm appreciating the view."

"Come here." Ava tries again, giving Sara's hand a tug. Sara allows herself to be pulled down, and it seems like they each can feel every single spot their skin is touching. As Ava runs her hands up through Sara's hair, Sara looks down with a serious but caring expression on her face. As their hands roam, their kisses become more forceful, and Ava's breathing gets heavier and more urgent right along with Sara's. Ava eventually gives Sara's ass another squeeze. "Off," she mumbles against her lips. Sara chuckles and stands back up, complying, and then quickly removes the rest of Ava's clothes as well. Ava takes the opportunity to straighten a bit to lay on the bed properly. When Sara's done throwing the clothes aside she slides up closer and kisses her way up Ava's stomach and chest. The exasperated but amused smile that appears on Ava's lips when Sara's back face-to-face kicks their desire up another notch. Breathing hard, Sara's hands slide down again, prompting Ava to fight to regain some control by rolling them both over. She kisses her way down Sara's body, but after the second time she's pulled up as she reaches her belly button she asks, "What do you want?" She's trying to keep control of herself, but Sara's driving her close to the edge. But at least she seems to be doing the same thing to Sara. Sara's breathing is as fast as hers when she answers,

"You." Ava smiles at the cheesy response, and tosses her hair back.

"Cute. Really though... what do you want? You and I seem to be on different pages right now. What can I do for you?" Ava pauses. "First, since I'm doing everything eventually." That makes Sara take a deep breath in and smirk.

"Good." She pulls Ava closer, who has to fight not to start moving against Sara's leg again. When Ava feels Sara trying to flip their positions yet again she raises herself up.

"Don't go anywhere. Just..." She chuckles as best she can. "We'll be here all night without doing anything if we keep going back and forth." Sara gives in, moving a hand up into Ava's hair and pulling her closer. They kiss slow and hard, and Ava smiles into the kiss before shifting and sliding her hand down. Feeling the heat between them and how slick Sara is gets Ava close to the edge. Sara inhales sharply a few moments later when Ava slowly slides her fingers in. Ava's breath hitches for a second as well, and then she lets it out shakily as she looks back up. She starts alternating between fast and slow strokes, trying to judge what Sara likes. But when she shifts a tad to her right Sara suddenly bursts out,

"Fuck!" she can't tell if that's good or bad, so she stops and almost withdraws.

"Did I--"

"Don't stop, right there." Sara interrupts, grabbing clumsily for her hand. "Keep going." She gasps into Ava's mouth as their lips reconnect and Ava pushes back in, tilting to the right and feeling for a landmark to remember. She can't feel any difference but Sara sure can, and her pants turn into short moans. Ava quickens the pace and rocks with Sara, curling her fingers more to keep contact as they each start to lose control, and it works. Sara breaks the kiss and comes, holding onto Ava's back tightly. Ava tries to draw her orgasm out longer, but she's breathing so hard and is so close herself it's tough to concentrate. Sara's grip loosens and she tilts her head back down to give Ava a kiss. As she relaxes Ava moves some hair stuck to Sara's lips, tossing her own back at the same time. "God..." She lets out after a few moments, exhaling long and slow. Ava's scooted over a tad so she's not lying right on top of Sara, who turns her head to look over. With a slight chuckle and an amused head shake Sara offers another kiss and pushes Ava flat on her back, climbing on top of her again. She starts mirroring what Ava did to her, and Ava's positive she's never forgetting this and how Sara gets her right back to the edge almost instantly. She knows she's going to come fast, but still reaches to see if she get Sara to come again as well. She loses co-ordination quickly, and with a groan she loses it. She's pleased that Sara comes right after her. Sara has enough control to push in a couple more times, then as Ava's body feels like it's buzzing Sara lays against her. Ava pants, trying to get her heart to slow down, and takes Sara's hand for a second from where it's lying across Ava's stomach. 

"You..." She shakes her head and kisses her. After a couple more breaths Ava can muster, "You are amazing." Sara's swiping hair out of her face.

"God, that was great." Ava pulls her closer again. They each lazily draw circles on the other's shoulder and after a few moments Sara looks up. "And you?"

"Hmm?" Ava asks, confused.

"How was it?" Ava chuckles and stretches down for another kiss.

"Worth waiting for." The confident gleam in Sara's eyes grows mischievous, and she begins trailing quick kisses down Ava's chest. Once she gets past Ava's belly button, happy Ava's not returning the favour from earlier and turning her away, she looks back up.

"Yeah... I'm done waiting."

\---

As she's falling asleep, another orgasm and some talking later, Sara thinks of how different this was. This wasn't just like the hook-ups she's had over the last few years, and she'd almost forgotten how different it can feel. Or, really, she'd just tried to trick herself into forgetting at times so she didn't think about what she was missing. She looks over at Ava beside her, who seems to have just fallen asleep. As Ava started being on the ship more, she had expected they'd eventually fall into bed because of tension during an argument. Angry, passionate, and intense, then their animosity towards each other would just be worse. This was passionate and intense, to be sure, but definitely not angry. Like Sara's thought a lot recently, she yet again feels that she wants more with this woman. And she wants more nights like this. She can't see how in the morning things could return to that earlier animosity, and she's glad. They've come too far beyond that, so she doesn't think there's anything to worry about.

\---

Ava's alarm wakes her up, and she tries to quickly silence it. Glancing over at Sara sleeping next to her makes her smile, and a few moments later she's awake enough to sit up. She's slid over, perched herself on the edge of the bed and is looking around for where each article of clothing went when she feels the bed shift behind her.

"I'm going to get a complex if you're trying to sneak out." She turns back.

"What? Of course not. But I..." She trails off at the sight of Sara, leaning on her side, hair a bit wild. The sleepy but amused look in her eyes is the cherry on top, and makes Ava definitely not want to leave. Ava exhales with a groan, giving her a 'you're killing me' look. Sara smirks. "I should have left a while ago. I'll have to rush to shower and get clean clothes if I don't want to be late." She gets up and collects her things as Sara comments,

"A time traveller complaining about being late." The fact that Ava's not self-conscious (not that she has any reason to be) or clutching at a sheet as she's moving around is refreshing for Sara to see. Ava's half-dressed and sits back down, putting on her bra, when Sara offers the obvious option. "You could stay and just arrive earlier." Ava twists around, taking another look at Sara. She leans over, and Sara smiles, but just before the expected kiss comes Ava looks down and slides the sheet up to cover Sara's bare shoulder. For her own sanity.

"I have to go, and you looking like this is not helping." When Ava's gaze comes back up Sara's smirking. It reminds her of last night when she was caught staring.

"Seems to be helping from my perspective." Sara can see Ava would rather stay so that's a win, at least. "But if you have to go..." She tilts her head to close the small gap and gives Ava a slow, long kiss that could be the start of something. But they both know Ava's right. They really don't have the time. Sara trails her hand down from the back of Ava's neck when they each lean back. Sara keep watching as Ava pulls on her shirt, then she sits up and pulls her knees in as Ava's putting on her shoes. "Good luck drawing up the report. Don't forget the bit about Mick being detained by security." Discussing the report last night was odd pillow talk right after sex, but for them it worked fine.

"I think that's my favourite part." Ava opens a portal into her living room.

"Let me know how it goes."

"I will." Ava stands there for a moment, neither of them knowing quite how they should end the conversation. Sara motions Ava over with a flick of her fingers and a smile, and they give each other a quick peck. "Bye."

"Bye." With a last half-smile Ava walks out, and Sara's smile remains on her face for quite a while after the portal has closed.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't commented on all the nice comments people are writing (I don't want it to seem like I'm subtly trying to entice more or something), but THANK YOU! I really appreciate it, especially since I haven't written a lot. And with my job involving typing all day, the comments and kudos makes typing this out when my hands and eyes are already sore more tolerable. So thank you. :)

As is pretty common now, Ava comes onboard after work. On the bridge Gideon confirms they're around, and she goes to find the team as they're eating dinner. Hoping for a positive update, they ask the status of things as Wally and Amaya make more room around the table, in case something's happened since yesterday.

"Anything?" Sara's question is echoed by the others as Ava sits. It's been three days since they used the incantations in the Alma pamphlet. Once Amaya, Zari, and Nate finished, the rest of them all watching on nervously, it was so anti-climatic they still have no idea if they did it right or if it had any effect. The papers on the table rustled a bit, and that was it. So, they've all been on edge, waiting for any signs or a run-in with Darhk. Ava's been watching and listening at the Time Bureau to see any changes in Director Bennett or his minions. Until today there'd been nothing. No extra meetings, no change in the usual demeanour, no disruption to the usual pressure and surveillance disguised as bureaucratic normalcy. She tilts her head.

"I don't know if this is related or not. It could be, but I don't know when Matthew and the rest of Tech were given the directive." She holds up her wrist. "These are no good in a few days, as of Monday. There's going to be a Bureau-wide update. It's not being swapped out, so I can't just hide another one somehow. There's new firmware being uploaded. And afterwards, we can't use a courier without being authorized by one of the top agents first. No doubt all of them are under Bennett's, and Darhk's, thumb." Sara makes a mental note to let Mick have at it with the one they've had as a back-up. "And not in the sense that you get reprimanded if you use it without permission. It physically won't work without approval."

"That doesn't make any sense." Nate's disbelief at such a stupid thing is evident.

"Actually, it makes perfect sense. Now they'll have control and can make sure we're all in line with what Bennett wants." Ava was shocked, but also not, when Matt told her when they met for coffee before work today. "They got away with tracking the communication devices without much trouble. And they quashed the pushback they got very fast." Her unhappy tone makes Sara even more concerned. Ava never mentioned anything about that before, but it couldn't have been good. She wonders what happened. "So now they're taking the next big step. A huge one."

"They're really putting surveillance over safety. Do you get permission for a full case, or is it use by use?" Amaya asks.

"That's all the information I have right now. Matt doesn't know yet how Bennett and the brass are going to use it." They all start talking over each other, thinking about the implications of what would happen in different situations. Ava's had other implications on her mind all day as well, but not all are anachronism related. She certainly will not get permission to come onto the ship much. If at all.

"What if there's an emergency, is someone going to die because they can't... jump out of a problem? There's no w--"

"I don't know." Ava raises her voice slightly to interrupt the question Sara's thrown out. "I just said that's all I know." She eases off a bit. "I'm surprised Darhk and Bennett waited this long to do it." Ray looks at Zari, who nods. 

"We've figured this was coming eventually, so we've been trying to get some duplicate technology working." He tells her. "We're still a couple weeks out I think, with testing, but we'll push harder." His determination to succeed is clear. Sara gives him a small smile, knowing he means it.

"It'd be easier if we could take apart that time courier and see how it ticks." Zari admits. "But since we can't risk that, it's taking longer than we wanted." Ava smiles at them both.

"Thanks. That would be great, if you get something. And I know it's a lot to ask, but can you disguise it, like a regular watch or something, so it doesn't look like a time courier? Like with the comm device before, if I get caught with a second courier I don't know what would happen, but it would not be good." She stresses the point.

"We'll come up with something." Zari affirms.

"In the meantime, there's the jump ship." Sara adds.

"You could just stay onboard." God, Wally's dense for saying that. Sara shifts uncomfortably in her seat and Ava inhales deeply, wishing that hadn't been brought up. That option is certainly not something to be considered in front of everyone without a private conversation first. At least the rest of them seem to think it was a bad suggestion as well. And the way he flinches, it seems Zari's given him a kick under the table.

"Ah, that's-- there'd be no eyes in the Bureau if I did that." A rational answer like that can't be argued with, so Wally keeps quiet. Or he's just afraid of another kick to the shins.

\----- 

When Ava and Sara are alone in Sara's room that night the conversation about the time couriers had resumed. Ava's leaning against the door while Sara's been pacing around slightly, feeling anxious about what a lack of a time courier means in a way she'd rather not think about. Ava can tell Sara's reassuring herself just as much as she is Ava when Sara nods, reiterating,

"We'll use the jump ship until they create a solution." Sara appreciates the initiative from Ray and Zari to have already been tinkering. After dinner the four of them went and took a look at their work, and it seems they've already got a pretty good head start. "They could probably make it into a Time Bureau pin or a pair of earrings if given enough time." That would be some miraculous work. Not that Ava doubts if anyone was capable of that it would be them, of course.

"True. But if it doesn't work out for some reason then be warned you'll be getting a lot of information and updates via the comms." She knows they'll be trying the best no matter the outcome. "You'll be even sicker of my calls than you already are." That makes Sara stop her pacing, blinking at Ava in disbelief. 

"They'll work it out. They're geniuses. They'll come up with something that won't raise suspicion."

"I'm just saying, if it's not possible to make it small enough, then you guys keep it. It doesn't matter if you have a time courier." Another one. "The Legends are already like the evil stepchildren of the time travelling world as it is."

"No, you're taking it. No matter what."

"I can't really explain away having an unsanctioned time courier-type device on me." And who knows how long her apartment will be safe. If the Time Bureau gets more dictatorial, security and surveillance will get even worse. Though, she's not telling Sara yet about that particular concern that keeps nibbling at the back of her mind.

"So, hide it at your place." Thank goodness Sara can't actually read her mind (even though sometimes it feels like it). Ava starts to shake her head but Sara's next comment, specifically the caring tone Ava's begun to hear more often, gives her pause. "You have to be able to get here." 

"I definitely want that to continue to be the case as well." Sara goes and sits down on the bed, watching Ava in a way that's making it clear she doesn't want to keep talking about this much longer.

"Hopefully Ray and Zari will have a time courier 2.0 up and ready fairly soon then." A smile tugs at the corner of Ava's mouth and she crosses the room.

"Oh, I'm not important enough for a jump ship chauffeur 24/7 for the rest of time?" Sara scoffs.

"Pfft, I'm not chauffeuring your ass around, no matter how hot it is." Ava leans over, pushing Sara down onto the bed. 

"We'll figure something out."

\-----

There's a sudden banging jolt that rocks the ship and both women jerk awake, not sure if they heard and felt what they thought they did. Ava blinks as she moves her arm from where it had come to rest across Sara's back and then she sits up. Sara rolls away from Ava and onto her back, rubbing her eyes. 

"Was that..." Ava trails off when suddenly there's another booming jerk that confirms what they were each thinking.

"Time quake." Sara groans and sits up as well. She looks over and sees it's about two hours before Ava would have been getting up and leaving. It's too early for another anachronism, this shouldn't be allowed. "Come on." Her voice cracks a bit as she tries to wake up some more. "Let's go see what's going on." She gets up, leaving Ava sitting there in a slight state of shock.

"I can't go out there." The slightly nervous, strained note to the comment makes Sara smile. "Just show up in the crumpled clothes I was wearing last night. Yeah, cool. Very professional." Sara's pulling some pyjamas out of the wall compartment as she answers,

"It'll be fine." She roots around and pulls out some more. "Or do you want something else?"

"Yeah, everyone needs to see me in some of your pyjamas that would be too small. That'd be worse." Ava sighs and starts getting dressed. In her own clothes.

"It's fine." Sara reiterates. "Besides, they all know we're sleeping together." Ava pauses, mid-way through pulling her pants on. She figured some of them were still in the dark.

"You don't seem like the kiss and tell type." Sara's head pokes out the top of her shirt. She starts brushing her hair quickly and in between strokes she explains,

"They're smart. Even's Mick's not stupid enough for it to go over his head." She's not the bragging, kiss and tell type, of course, but she's also not one to sneak around. And in talking with Amaya and Zari, even if the boys weren't as observant as they are it'd no doubt have still gotten around by now anyway. They've both been acting about the same, Sara thinks, but Ava's increased presence dealing with anachronisms is obvious. They each finish getting dressed and as Ava borrows the hairbrush Sara throws something in her mouth. Then with a smirk she motions for Ava to hold out her hand. When she does, Sara hands her a pack of gum. "Here." Ava gives her a smirk of her own, and pops out a piece as well.

They walk to the bridge, meeting up with Ray and Nate, and the others join them in very short order. They all look slightly bleary-eyed and rumpled. Mick looks like he's going to kill someone. And, as Sara figured, no one's even blinked at Ava's presence. The clearly serious anachronism takes precedence. She takes a deep breath then asks,

"Gideon, what's going on?" Gideon brings an illustration up on the screens, and they all see what looks to be a big-ass gun in the middle of a clearing with some longhouses.

"That's a Browning machine gun!" Nate exclaims. "An M2. It's been used in every war since World War Two. And that's..." His eyes widen. "Oh, that's..." He looks closer as Gideon pulls up another illustration. "That's Jamestown. Guys, this is from around about when John Smith and his group arrived in Virginia. These are some of the first permanent settlers in America." There's a moment of quiet, then,

"It's Darhk. It has to be." Zari voices what they're all thinking. Gideon confirms,

"According to records of this timeline, another group of explorers arrived as the settlers were building their fort on the island. The resemblance is uncanny, I have to say." She's spot on, the drawing looks to have aged poorly, but it's clearly Darhk meeting with Smith and one of his fellow captains.

"He really likes messing with early North America, doesn't he?" Ray shakes his head. "Giving early settlers access to heavy machine guns in..." He looks down at the images again, reading one of the inscriptions. "...1609? This is not good."

"As if the Aboriginal populations didn't have enough to worry about." Nate finishes. "This will change everything. Who knows if any of the population would even exist before the First Anglo-Powhatan War starts. When the Paspahegh tribe raid comes, they'll be decimated. And that's just a start. The settlers will cut through everyone like a hot knife through butter."

"He's trying ambush us." Mick observes. 

"He's baiting us." Ray agrees.

"Yes. But we don't have a choice." Sara states. "He wants a fight, we'll give him one. The pamphlet probably worked if he's getting bigger and bolder with his distraction anachronisms. So, we hit him." The intensity of her anger is starting to grow.

"Yeah, let's see if we can make him bleed." Wally looks too wired, but his enthusiasm is good, Sara hopes.

"Okay, I know it's early, but let's all wake up properly, get dressed, and meet back here. Don't doddle, but don't rush. We still have to go over our options. And Na--" 

"Doddle?" Mick questions the odd word choice. Sara ignores him. 

"But Nate, you get the bathroom first, and meet me in the library? Then tell me what you know."

"Well, back in 1606 when the Virginia Company decided..." He starts rattling on until Sara raises a hand. 

"Not now, it's too early." As he nods and walks off Sara looks to Ava. "Can you go back, find out what the Time Bureau's doing..." She quickly rolls her eyes, "...if anything. Then assign yourself to be our babysitter." 

"Yeah." Ava answers with a nod and walks off as well. 

"Okay, I'll make the coffee, everyone put your thinking caps on." Sara pulls up the rear as they all exit, heading for their quarters. When she gets back to her room after quickly getting the coffee started for everyone, Ava's sitting waiting for her to show up.

"With this being Darhk, I don't know what the Time Bureau will be up to. If it is on their radar, I'll see if I can grab some more agents to come along."

"Unlikely."

"You're probably right. Though something this big will be hard to hide from everyone." 

"Be careful." Sara doesn't have to say it, but she does anyway. Then she switches topics. "And hey, like I told you, not a look or comment from anyone." Ava shakes her head.

"Still doesn't mean I should have come out looking like this." As she looks down at her clothes Sara rolls her eyes again. 

"We're all in pyjamas. Hell, Nate and Wally didn't even have shirts on. You fit in fine. And it's not like this is a big secret. Except from the Time Bureau, that is. There's nothing wrong with us being together." 

"No, I-- I'm not--" Was it coming across that she felt like that? Damn it's annoying, how flustered Sara still makes her. "I agree. But it made it look like there was. Like we've been trying to hide it and got caught. It just wasn't professional."

"We aren't professionals, so you can lighten up. You have such a hard time letting your hair down." She pauses. "Metaphorically." Another pause. "Mostly." Ava stands up and sets her time courier.

"If you're already gone before I get back, good luck." They give each other a short goodbye kiss.

"Go on. See if anything's happening. We'll be here around another hour, I think. If something comes up, let me know."


	10. Chapter 10

Ava had come back just as the team was ready to leave, furious at the fact the anachronism hadn't even appeared in the Time Bureau's systems. It's supposed to be automatic, like Gideon's, but clearly that was somehow changed at some point (the Legends don't need two guesses as to the reason why). They arrived in Virginia, and surveyed the situation from the edge of the surrounding forest. They expected it to be bad, but it's not what they were all silently hoping for.

At the base of the slight hill leading up to the partially constructed fort there's three gun positions, and there's a lot of men milling about, having been turned into a rough-looking security detail. The vague plan was to get the people who are rightfully there out of harms' way before confronting Darhk. As soon as they enter the clearing near the fort's low walls that plan goes out the windows fast, when there's suddenly a group of about 20 settlers in front of them. As they start talking with the clearly hostile men, Darhk, Nora and Smith appear up by the building, past the guns, spurring on the Legends. Most interestingly, Damien Darhk is flanked by some men. It's a noticeable change from his usual 'out in the open, commanding attention' way of doing things. What sets everything off during the tense exchange is,

"Captain Curtis," The man currently arguing with Nate points backwards up towards Darhk, "said there would be outsiders trying to invade and destroy our settlement!"

"You're the outsiders!" Nate exclaims, exasperated by the man's muddled logic. "Come on, you're the invaders, let's be honest here. Oh, this is going to make kicking your ass so much more fun!"

"You and your motley group are trying to take this land away from King James and claim it for King Henry and the French!"

"Don't call me French!" Mick is furious, swinging at the nearest settler, and fighting breaks out. It's been just a few moments and they haven't made much progress towards the trio when Darhk orders the guns to open fire. As they come alive and gunfire starts moving across the yard they all, besides Nate, try to run for some cover. There isn't much, just some rocks, carts, and the wall. Ava's just taken a man down when Sara and Mick are running in her direction. She feels like she's being hit by a truck when Sara pushes her. Suddenly she's falling backwards and Sara's on a collision course with the ground as well. Out of the corner of her eye Ava sees Mick dive over the wall beside them as she braces for impact, and then a bunch of things seem to happen simultaneously. A part of the wall by her head shatters. Ava's back hits the ground hard with a thud. Sara lands face down beside her. Ava feels a hot pain at the side of her head, and her ear's ringing. Both women crawl and scoot a couple more feet to get completely behind a rock for cover. Then Ava's able to grab her ear, feeling it's sticky as she winces. There's some blood when she brings her hand back down, but not an excessive amount. Ava looks over just as Sara's wiping her own cheek, a line of blood reappearing quickly on her cheekbone and the tip of her nose. They both make eye contact and still, realizing at the same time what they could have witnessed a second earlier or later if the bullet hadn't passed in between them. Then the quick moment's over for now and Sara twists her head, communicating to the team,

"Everyone okay? Ray, can you get in there and take care of those damn guns?!"

"Already on it." The reply comes in all their ears. To Ava, the voices are almost drowned out by the continued ringing she hears. It takes about 30 seconds for one of the guns to go quiet as the men reload another belt, but then it doesn't start up again. As they struggle trying to figure out the jam, Nate can just pick out Ray's small blue dot moving across to another gun. Wally's suddenly by the first position, grappling with the two men. Another quick succession of gunfire ends, and in the usual brief pause between bursts Ray's obviously caused another misfire because that gun remains quiet as well. In a few seconds the final gun is silenced, and the rest of the Legends are able to get up and start advancing again. Ray returns to normal size, surprising the hell out of the two men beside him, and it prompts Captain Smith to run down the hill, coming for him. 

As Ray and Smith keeping going at it, the group starts making progress towards the Darhks through the hand-to-hand combat going on all around. Most of them hang back and continue battling with the settlers to give Sara, Amaya and Zari a better chance to get at Nora and Darhk with fewer distractions. Wally starts zipping from man to man, keeping ones down that try to get back up. Ray gets Smith incapacitated and drags him out of the way, since they can't restore history without him. 

They are halfway up the incline when Sara feels herself freeze suddenly, as if Darhk's taken control. It feels a bit different this time around. Sara fights against it, trying to move. There's still a ton of resistance, but suddenly she stumbles, as if something has snapped. Sara looks up, and the shock she sees on Darhk's face makes her grin. He must have known something was off, but this big a change seems to rattle him. The momentary shock of both Damien and Nora gives the team an extra second's advantage. As Sara starts running for Darhk again he tries to send Amaya and Zari flying. They get thrown off their feet, and their totems fade, but neither go very far and get back up in an instant. As they continue pressuring Darhk together, breaking his control faster than Sara did, Sara drops a baton and throws a couple knives in quick succession once she's close enough. Darhk swipes a hand and catches one before it hits him. The other, however, lodges in his shoulder. He grimaces, pulling it out quickly. The rest of the team bringing up the rear have closed the gap and are stepping in line with the others when, with a last final rage, he lets the dagger fall and sends out a booming wave of air that knocks them all down. He may be weaker, but he's still strong. Too annoyed to respond in typical quippy fashion all he says is,

"Whatever you did, we'll finish this later, Sara. Until next time..." He summons up a swirl of smoke and with a hint of gold light through the cloud he's gone. Suddenly the Legends are left standing there with a bunch of settlers writhing around on the ground in pain. Sara walks over, crouches down, and when she turns back around there's a smile on her face. It spreads to the others when they see she's holding the dagger that hit Darhk, and there's blood on it. That's a good sign. They walk back down to the guns, some of them a bit more worse for wear than others. Ray's suit will need some maintenance, and Ava's walking gingerly with every other step because of a well-placed kick she received. As they stand around, Nate, Ray and Wally high-fiving each other, Sara takes a deep breath, knowing there's only one thing for them to do.

"Okay, let's clean up this mess."

\-----

There's a bunch of conversations happening at once as they all tiredly troop back onto the Waverider. Despite how long it took them all to wipe the event from the minds of so many people, most of them are still riding an adrenaline high.

"The way you hit that guy was amazing, just uh." Wally mimics a punch and grunts as he compliments Ava.

"If we'd left Smith with his memory, maybe he'd think twice about picking any more fights." Ray wonders aloud.

"Did anyone see where Nora ran off to? Where did she go?" Nate asks. In the confusion of fighting, Nora's sudden disappearance had everyone surprised. "Darhk was having to put in some effort, and she high-tailed it out of there."

"He couldn't have liked that." Zari smiles. Everyone's positive and upbeat, various strained muscles and cuts aside, but Sara and Ava haven't spoken to each other. There's been a few quick glances as Gideon confirms a job well done, but both are avoiding it. The group soon fractures off in different directions, going to clean up and unwind from the stress. Before Sara goes to do the same she detours into the parlour to get in touch with Oliver and Barry and give them the latest so they know to keep kicking Darhk's ass the next time he shows up.

\-----

It's about 20 minutes later that Sara and Ava cross paths in the corridor down from Sara's quarters. They halt a couple feet from each other, their eye contact unwavering.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"I was just coming to..." Ava motions, but trails off because she doesn't know the best way to explain. Sara points vaguely at Ava's ear, which seems to have stopped bleeding.

"Are you okay?" She asks, sincere emotion coming through.

"Yeah, it's just a scratch." She's thankful the ringing was only temporary. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Neither one of them really is okay exactly, each sensing the other was as shaken up by the close call and what they could have witnessed as the other. And each is equally as rattled by how much it shook them. After another long pause Ava lets out a small sigh at the same time Sara steps closer, pulling Ava into a hug. With their arms around each other some of the tension and residual worry from earlier dissipates. "How about you don't almost get shot again?" Sara offers up, trying to sound somewhat aloof. Unsuccessfully. They both loosen their hold slightly, creating a bit of space between them.

"You promise to not die and we have a deal."

"I promise that I definitely can't promise that." Sara more so than most. "But you keep trying to be safe and I'll do the same."

"Deal." Each of them is smart enough to know they'll end up having this conversation many more times. And there will still be plenty of injuries before all this is over.

"Come on..." Sara unwraps her arms from Ava's hips. "Zari, Nate, and Wally will probably be this way soon to play video games." After actual fighting Sara doesn't understand how games are relaxing. And she doesn't need that group walking by and seeing them like this, that's asking for more taunting later. "And I could use a drink." Ava definitely could as well, and they head for the kitchen.

\-----

Sara's thankful when they find Ray and Amaya already in the kitchen. It provides extra distraction and distance from the serious thoughts in her head. They sit around and talk, bouncing around various subjects. Later on when the conversation comes around to the events of the day, Sara starts growing tense again.

"I'm just glad it worked. We've started the process. And we were lucky, that's always good." Ray's comment prompts a meaningful glance between Sara and Ava. Sara quickly decides she's had enough and excuses herself. She gets up and dumps the half a bottle that's left of her beer, then gives a small smile.

"That's enough for me. Thanks guys, night." The sudden departure makes the rest of them frown and look around at each other. Ray and Amaya focus on Ava for an answer. She's not sure she has one to give them, but when they ask,

"Is she okay?" she answers, 

"Yeah, just the rough day, I guess?" She answers vaguely then downs the last sip of her beer. "I'll go check." She catches up to Sara at the bottom of the stairs. "Is there anything else going on, or are you really just tired? Are you okay?" They continue walking.

"Yeah, it's just been a hard day, which makes it feel later than it actually is. And I've had enough of other people for the night. Come on, I just want to go to bed." Ava stops, tugging on Sara's hand that just took her own. 

"I'm really not in the mood, sorry. My leg is killing me." Sara noticed she's still favouring a leg since they returned. "Not to mention the bruise I have from someone knocking me to the ground." Sara's eyebrows raise up. 

"Would you rather I hadn't? If you wanted a bigger scar all you had to do was ask. I can still arrange it." Sara is certainly the expert in that. Ava has seen a lot of scars, mostly from her time in the army, but Sara's put almost all of those to shame. Ava lets the teasing go, giving Sara a kiss instead of a retort. Sara shakes her head, pulling on Ava's hand some more. "And I just mean sleep. Go replicate up some pyjamas. I don't want you to leave yet." Ava's only stayed over just after they've slept together. This sign of comfort and familiarity is new, but she happily nods and obliges, also not wanting to leave.


	11. Chapter 11

Four days later Ava finds herself fumbling to pull out the comm earbud hidden in the hem of her shirt and making a call to the Waverider. She figured she'd eventually receive a call like this, not be the one making it. She huffs and winces as the call starts beeping as it connects, and she's hoping the team's still around so she doesn't have to ask Gideon to record a message.

"Someone be there... please." She mutters as she manages to stand up.

"Hey, Ava. Sara and Wally have their heads down in the conso--"

"Ray, I need... need you guys to come get me." Grunting, she starts walking towards Madrid off in the distance. It hurts to breathe. 

"You sound horrible." He comments warily. No kidding.

"Bennett and his cronies had... enough of me I guess. I've been stranded here, and I can't..." She exhales. "I've been figuratively stabbed in the back..." She looks down again at the blood spreading between her fingers as she grips her side. She's not sure if the pressure she's able to muster is doing anything. "...and literally shot in the back."

"You--"

"What?!" She hears Sara's voice in the background.

"Yeah. It's been a crap week." Ava admits, groaning some more. 

"Where are you?" Sara sounds closer now.

"Spain. 1562." She exhales. "Outside Madrid. Bennett must have decided... to finally cut me loose. Agent Jones, he... stopped, must have taken a few... steps. Before I knew it, he shot me." She's been wondering if Darhk told Bennett to order the hit, or someone ratted her out. As she continues to answer she hears Sara call out, 

"Everyone to the bridge now! If you're not here in a minute we're jumping anyway, so hold on to something." The determined anger in Sara's voice comes across very clearly. Ava continues,

"He took my gun and Bureau comm, but I'm glad he was wet... behind the ears, didn't search me." She guesses he figured she didn't have a chance, being so far from town and bleeding so much. He still might prove to be right.

"Where are you, give us a direction." Ray asks urgently.

"I'm trying to get closer to the city. But west of it." She looks around. "It's just open field... everywhere else." At least they should be able to spot her easily. "I don't think... anyone's here, but be careful." It better not be another attempt at an ambush.

"What's going on?" She hears another voice, can't tell who, then some fast chatter.

"We're coming." Ray assures her. "Where were you hit?" She knows he's trying to keep her talking, but she can't concentrate much.

"Right side. Through and through. I'm... I'm trying, but can't do much." It's getting harder and harder to keep any pressure on.

"Does Gideon know your blood type?"

"AB positive. Was a... a Bureau regulation." Ava hears the whoosh of the engines in the background, knowing they're on their way. "Yeah. I'm just gonna..." She stops and groans as she lays back down, still trying her best to grip her side. "...just taking a break."

"Ava, don't you dare." Amaya warns. "We'll be there soon."

"No no, just... getting a second wind. I'll be back up in a second."

"Hey! You keep walking, that's an order." Sara's pissed and worried, trying to focus on the anger.

"It's fine. Just a..." Just a moment to catch her breath. It feels like she's just shut her eyes for a second, trying to call up some reserve energy, when her cheek starts tingling. And she can't hear what it says, but Sara's voice cuts through the fog. She must have been out for longer than just a couple seconds. "Did... did you just slap me?" Ava breathlessly asks. She feels Sara's hand on her cheek, softer this time, and she's suddenly being moved.

"I'll do it again. Hold on, okay?" Sara responds. As Ava blinks a few times and opens her eyes fully she sees Nate's got her and the ship's not too far away.

"Thanks for the lift."

"Gideon will get you fixed up in no time." He offers. Sara's looking slightly whiter at all the blood Ava knows has been seeping down her body.

"Just another minute, hang on. You're not doing this to me, you understand?" Ava grunts as Sara starts putting pressure on the wounds.

"It'd be... dumb to give up now." She keeps fighting to stay awake, listening to Sara putting on a show of berating her for being so stupid. Sara's trying to get a rise out of her and keep her talking. But once they get inside and reach the doors to the med bay, she figures she's allowed to pass out.

\----

Ava wakes up a while later, feeling Sara's hand wrapped around hers. She also feels really loopy. 

"Hey." Sara sighs, relieved. She leans over and gives Ava a kiss on the forehead.

"That bigger scar you mentioned a few days ago?" Ava looks up as Sara leans back. "I'll certainly have that now."

"You certainly will. The bullet missed almost all your organs, but nicked a kidney. Gideon says you'll be fine though."

"Good. Thank you, Gideon." Ava offers up.

"Don't make me have to patch you up again, Miss Sharpe." The sternness from an AI is amusing, but Ava knows laughing would be a painful mistake in her current tender state.

"The worst thing was how much blood you lost. We all pitched in and topped you up." She gives Ava a small smile.

"Thanks." Being this heavily sedated, Ava's not sure how else to express her gratitude. Sara's serious look returns quickly.

"Before you ask, we've checked on Gary and Matt, to see if this was part of something bigger. They're okay. We'll figure out where to send them soon so they stay that way." Ava nods. She was indeed about to ask. "And you're staying onboard from now on, you realize that, right?" It's not phrased in the form of a question. Sara is not going to take no for an answer. Ava grins.

"I won't argue." Not that Ava wanted to, of course. 

"Good." Sara gives her a proper kiss this time. "My old quarters have been empty since I took over Rip's, or you can have Snart's. Take your pick."

"Those are my only two options?" Ava smiles weakly. Sara's pleased by the reaction.

"Well, I'd prefer it if you didn't spend much time there. But we should each have own space. Might help stop us from killing each other at some point in the future."

"You're probably right."

"I'm always right."

"Yeah, that's a straight-up lie." Sara stands, even though she doesn't want to leave. But Ava needs a lot more sleep.

"You were only out for a couple hours. You should get some more sleep."

"I agree." Ava's having trouble keep ing her eyes open. They kiss, both women letting it linger as long as possible. Sara shakes her head when it ends,

"I'm so glad you're okay." Her voice cracks more than she would have liked.

"Me too." Ava agrees again. Sara gives Ava's hand another squeeze then walks out, pausing to look back as the doors slide open. "Say thank you to everyone for me. Sorry if the side trip ruined any plans."

"Shut up." Of course Sara was on her way there as fast as she could. "I'll come back in a few hours, see if you need anything." With another smile that warms Ava's heart, Sara leaves her alone to rest up.


	12. Chapter 12

With Darhk being noticeably weaker and weaker each time they find him, a final blow is no longer just a hopeful wish in everyone's head. And Nate thought he remembered seeing a file about where Darhk had been in 2011 before he got his hands on the Idol. It's worth a shot to see if that's where he's been hiding lately. Plus, if they get Damien, maybe it will flush out Nora as well. The problem is, Nate had saved copies of a bunch of documents on a red USB, but he can't remember where said USB has ended up. His comment of,

"Just... don't plug it in or open any files," makes everyone besides Mick frown, but they still offer to help look for it. They're just about to fan out from the parlour when Ray opens a drawer and spots the old Time Bureau badge that got them in the building so long ago. With them now completely at odds with the crumbling agency, and Ava being on the ship 24/7, there's no reason for them to keep it anymore. Not that it would even work at this point with all the security changes. 

"Hey, I guess we can toss this Time Bureau badge? We don't need it as emergency back-up now. We probably should really do some spring cleaning around here anyway." Seeing the badge makes Ava rolls her eyes.

"On top of everything else, you swiped someone's badge too?" She pivots to Rory, but isn't that surprised. "Is there anything you didn't steal?"

"Don't look at me, lady. Sara took care of that one... with her unique skill set." Sara's head swivels to look at him in a sweeping, exaggerated manner.

"Mick."

"What?" He gruffs. "Ray told me." Sara doesn't even glance at Ray, but he can feel her annoyance. Ava wouldn't have thought much of it, but everyone's glances between her and Sara, and Sara's reaction, make things clear.

"Just please tell me it wasn't Gary." Sara's happy Ava's brushing it off, but is disgusted at the thought.

"Ew, no. Gross." Everyone starts heading off in different directions of the ship to keep looking, Ava trailing after Sara, but the gang all pause or chuckle to themselves when, a few seconds later, Ava's raised voice drifts out from another corridor,

"Todd?! That doorknob?" Zari's close by and hears more bickering before it fades out of earshot.

"What?" Sara's reply comes out in a defensive tone. Ava chuckles, then,

"Oh, you have horrible taste in men."

"You're making me question my taste in women right now too..."


	13. Chapter 13

"I was wrong about you." Sara says, out of the blue. Ava looks over, not understanding what Sara means or how it relates to the conversation they'd been having a few minutes ago.

"What?" Seeing Sara's fidgeting hands makes Ava put the book she'd just opened back down in her lap.

"I've said it before, but when we first met, I was wrong about you." Ava likes the sentiment, but shakes her head.

"No, you weren't. And I wasn't wrong about you." Now Sara frowns a bit, confused. Ava continues, "The first-- first few times we met we were each acting like the other would have expected. Me, an uptight, tough agent with no personality." After getting to know him, she still feels bad about manhandling Ray. "You, a reckless idiot. I mean, just walking into the Time Bureau? That was probably one of the dumbest thing you could have done." At the time Sara didn't know quite how stupid it was, but still. Sara gives Ava a smile.

"Oh, I've done stupider things."

"That is true. But that was just asking for trouble."

"Okay, I'll give you that. You may be right." A beat. "But I was wrong about the suit. You made it work."

"It's funny how I used to look forward to putting that on, and now the thought of being a Time Bureau agent makes me sick." They're potentially getting away from the point Sara wanted to make, so she brings the conversation back around. 

"Well, I'm glad I found out there's more to you." She grows more serious, looking earnest. "And I know you already know, but I love you." Ava beams for a second before she can stop herself. Then she regains control and reins it back to more of a regular smile.

"I do, but thanks for finally saying it."

 

It was about a month ago that Ava had first said it, when another heated argument had ended and the tension in the air was deflating.

"If I didn't love you, you'd be less infuriating." There was a long pause, Sara digesting what Ava said. Then she realized Ava was still focusing mostly on the task at hand and didn't seem to be waiting or pushing for a similar statement in return. She'd just glanced up and kept on flipping through the pages in front of her. Sara had smiled, the lack of pressure and expectation a relief.

"Especially when I'm right."

"Especially then." Ava agreed. They'd both smiled some more at each other and kept on working.

 

Sara stops thinking back when Ava continues, 

"You've had plenty of chances to get rid of me if you didn't want me around. You could have left me in Spain." Sara's tempted to make a joke about just avoiding paperwork, but she pushes the instinct down. She reaches and turns off the light, stopping any possibility that Ava will go back to the book. "I was trying to read. Before we head back out tomorrow I want to brush up on t--"

"I don't care." Ava chuckles as Sara rolls back over and grabs ahold of Ava's waist under the covers, pulling her down into the bed some more. With Sara half on top of her, 

"I love you too."

"Thanks for being patient." Ava had known Sara felt the same for a while before that first time she'd said she loved her. If she hadn't thought Sara was on the same wavelength, she probably wouldn't have been brave enough to say the words out loud.

"You put up with me, I put up with you. I like that this works. Despite all the times I want to kill you."

"The feeling's mutual."


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm splitting this end bit up into two chapters, since it looked a little too long. So the actual last chapter will be up soon!

Things have been going well when Gideon puts the team on the trail of a time-hopping serial killer. He kills two people, and then seems to vanish before popping up and killing again in a different time and place. And because he keeps changing his methods, local authorities don't seem to recognize a serial killer's at work. The last spot Gideon has been able to definitely track him and his aliases to is Star City in 2017. Since Darhk's been reduced to a low-level threat, and the same goes for Mallus and Nora, after discussing it both Sara and Ray figure it's not too much of a risk to visit. If Darhk hadn't tried to use their family and friends as possible leverage before, them showing up probably won't provoke anything now. When Sara calls her dad, he's excited for a visit. It's been too long since they've been able to see each other. 

The plan is to investigate where "Tim" (as Wally has dubbed him, short for Three Initial Murderer) had been living, look at the police files for the victims, and see if they can figure out where he would have gone off to hide or where he'll be killing next. That's what's led to some of them being on the street that afternoon in Star City. They've just come from landing the ship atop the old Palmer Tech building when Quentin spots them.

"Sara!" He's coming towards them down the sidewalk, and Sara lights up when she sees him.

"Dad!" She looks like a little kid as she practically bounds over the few steps to hug him. "I told you I was going to come see you!" Behind them the others smile, but Ava suddenly feels like she might throw up. She figured she'd have time to prepare before she might have been meeting Sara's dad later during this trip. Now she can feel butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

"I didn't want to wait." He explains. When Sara and Quentin walk back over to the remaining trio, as Ava tries to calm her nerves, he and Ray shake hands.

"Hi Detective Lance, it's great to see you again."

"You too, Ray. Want to buy that building out of receivership while you're here?"

"But then where would we park?" Ray jokes to hide the pang of regret over the company's current precarious state. Sara bypasses Ava and motions beside her,

"Dad, this is Amaya. Amaya, this is Quentin Lance."

"Hi Mr. Lance, it's nice to meet you and put a face to the name."

"Nice to meet you too, Amaya." Sara hesitates for a second before introducing Ava, and Quentin picks up on it. 

"And this is Ava." Then what really tips him off is how flustered Ava looks. She stutters a bit, but her handshake is firm. 

"I-- it's great to meet you, Mr-- Det-- sir." The sudden understand that she reads in his face doesn't help the situation. Amaya chuckles behind them, almost as amused as Sara by the loss of Ava's usual composure. 

"You too." The look he gives Sara as he shifts his attention back to her is a knowing one. "Do you want to come look at those files you asked about?"

"Ah, sure." Sara glances around at the others. "You guys are good on your own, right?" They all nod, and Ava's glad for the impending reprieve so she can regroup. "Let me know if you find anything useful." With some smiles Sara heads in the opposite direction with her dad. As the others continue towards Tim's last apartment Amaya smirks and glances at Ava, teasing,

"That went well."

"Please shut up." Ava huffs, disgusted with herself. 

\-----

The two of them have started going through the files and evidence boxes in Quentin's office when he changes the subject.

"Ava seems nice. If not slightly... spazzy." Sara look over as he pulls another file. 

"Yeah, she was off. But she's nice." She pauses. "And usually more composed." She thinks the nervousness was cute.

"So, what's up with that, how long has it been going on? Or is that even something you can answer? I don't get how the whole time travel thing works that well." The files in front of them are momentarily forgotten. 

"Long enough." She's not sure if he approves or not, and she doesn't know how much to say.

"You're happy?" 

"Yes, I am." The slight smile she tries to contain lifts a bit of the weight off Quentin's shoulders. 

"Good." After a moment of quiet he declares, "So, you're coming for dinner tonight, right?"

"I think we'll be busy with this..." She looks down at the papers. "...hopefully. If we can find something to get this guy on."

"Tomorrow then." 

"I'd love that." Sara thinks for a moment, weighing how to ask if Ava can come without it sounding like a big deal. Before she can broach the subject,

"And you're bringing Ava." She's happy but eyes him anyway, trying to gauge if he's looking to be nice or interrogate her. "Bring her." He's not revealing anything, and there's clearly no point in debating no matter what his motivation is. 

"Yes, Dad, that would be great." She looks at him, cautiously curious. "And what about you? Please tell me that my father's at least had a date recently." He tucks his chin,

"Well, actually..."

\-----

It's taken three days to get from an abundance of books about the Thirteen Years' War in "Tim's" left-behind possessions to finding him in Danzig in 1457 and collaring him. Of course, they're still able to return to Star City only a day after their initial arrival. Quentin is impressed when Sara has a handcuffed man in tow and a blood sample that, surprise surprise, matches one that somehow made its way into the evidence from the last victim's crime scene. Sara knows he can't do anything sketchy, but that doesn't mean she can't bend the rules. It should be enough to get a conviction. And, most importantly, "Tim's" time-travelling tech from the early 2100s has been confiscated. As the Legends are leaving the station, including a more subdued than normal Nate and Wally, Quentin eyes Sara seriously.

"Remember, 6:00." His gaze travels a few feet and lands on Ava. "Bring your appetite, and make sure she's not late."

"Dad..." Sara hopes he's not going to say anything embarrassing in front of everyone.

"I will, sir." Ava agrees.


	15. Chapter 15

"It'll be fine." Sara reassures as she knocks on the door. She's actually not sure that's the case but she's hopeful, and pats Ava's shoulder. "Just... don't reveal you're a masked vigilante or something."

"I'll keep that in mind." With having had time to prepare herself, Ava's nerves are under control when the apartment door opens on a smiling Quentin.

"Right on time! Good job, Ava."

"Jeez, Dad, I've never been late."

"No, sometimes you just wouldn't show up."

"Can you wait until I get inside, please?" The teasing is undercut by the fact they're both smiling at each other. They walk in and after another big hug for Sara he and Ava shake hands again.

"Hi, Mr. Lance, thank you for inviting me."

"Of course, I'm glad you weren't too nervous to come." The awkward sound that comes out of her mouth makes the two Lances chuckle. "Did you take a taxi?" He moves on.

"It's nice out, so we walked." Sara explains.

"From where?" 

"On top of Palmer Tech again." Quentin shakes his head at Sara's answer, amused. As he takes Ava's jacket, 

"A spaceship parked in town shouldn't seem strange to me at this point, but it does. I'm glad you have the time for a visit."

"Me too. Plus Wally and Nate are still sulking that the killer's real name is Clark Tomlinson, so it's the perfect time to get off the ship and not have to deal with that." As Sara's pulling off her coat Quentin looks at her with a confused frown.

"I don't follow."

"They're acting like kids." Ava comments, rolling her eyes at how they can't let it go. Sara explains,

"They're annoyed he didn't have three names. Like Son of Sam, John Wayne Gacy..."

"Oh." Her father clearly finds it absurd, and Sara has to agree.

"Yeah. They're ridiculous. So, Dad, what's for dinner? How can we help?"

"It smells amazing in here, Mr. Lance."

\-----

They've been done eating for a while, chatting about what's been going on in the city and with Oliver. Ava's obviously not as talkative during that exchange, but after her initial nervousness earlier the night's been great so far. When the conversation lulls Ava stands and starts clearing their plates. Sara pops up as well. 

"Oh no, no, sit, I got it later. Just leave it, girls." Quentin tries to dissuade them.

"No, please. You made a fantastic dinner, it's the least we can do. And we're doing the dishes. It wouldn't be fair to leave them for you." He starts to argue with Ava some more, but Sara stops him. 

"Dad, come on. You put away and we'll call it even." He agrees, though both Sara and Ava question their determination when they enter the kitchen. The effort he put into making the meal a success is evident by the number of pots and utensils in the sink. Sara takes one look then,

"Ah, I'll be back in a second." She excuses herself and heads for the bathroom, hoping they'll get started before she returns. Once she's walked out Quentin, maintaining a pleasant look, asks,

"Is this where we have one of those 'intention' talks?" Since most of the conversation over the evening has been lighter, Ava has no idea how serious he really is. Playing it safe,

"We could. Of course, where Sara's concerned anyone who had any negative intentions would be taking their life in their hands." Quentin nods, agreeing completely.

"That is true. She's always been self-assured and strong, ever since she was a child. Anyone treats her poorly and they'll regret it. And she's never needed any help with that. So if she's happy, I'm happy." There's more he'd like to talk about and ask her, but he knows there's not enough time before Sara will come back. So he jumps to the important point. "She may not need it all the time, but take care of her. I can't lose a daughter again." The honesty and emotion he's revealing makes Ava realize he's not trying to intimidate or put her on edge. He's just worried about his daughter.

"I... can't imagine how going through that has felt. I promise you I'm going to keep having her back as best I can. And the whole team does, we all look out for each other." She admits, "I love Sara, sir, and wouldn't want to lose her either."

"Good to know." He opens his mouth to say something else, but the sound of water running down the hall stops him. A moment later as footsteps approach he gives Ava a conspiratory smile and loudly questions,

"So, which embarrassing story do you want to hear now? How about prom?"

"Dad!"

\-----

After the dishes are done they've sat around for a while longer, but Sara knows they should be getting back.

"Dad, I really wish we didn't have to go, but it's late." He looks resigned, but nods. He's pleased he was able to see her at all, and is going to make sure it's not as long between visits.

"I guess you wouldn't if you didn't have to." 

"We do." As they all stand Ava takes the opportunity and announces, 

"Okay, I'm going to wait outside, give you two some space." When they start arguing she reiterates, stressing to Sara, "No, I insist. And take your time." Ava holds out her hand. "Mr. Lance, thank you for a fantastic dinner and a great evening. And the chance to hear some embarrassing stories." Sara hangs her head comically while they shake, then he pulls Ava in for a quick hug. 

"Thanks for the great company. You come back anytime. And if you can get Sara back here more often, call me Quentin." 

"I'll try." She looks over at Sara, giving her a smile, and reiterates, "Take your time." 

It doesn't seem to be too long before Ava hears the entrance door open behind her and she pushes herself off the wall as Sara and her dad step outside. 

"--I told you too." She hears him finish. 

"Yes, yes. You were right." Sara agrees with whatever he was saying. 

"You remember, one month. However long that is for you." 

"I will. Again, tell Elise that I'm sorry I couldn't meet her yet. Make sure she's in town then." They give each other a big long hug, then a kiss. Quentin motions between Ava and Sara.

"Are you sure I can't get you guys a car?"

"No Dad, really, it's fine. Thanks though. It's a nice night, I want to walk."

"But you sh--"

"It's like 15 minutes, Dad. It's fine." Sara looks to Ava, who gives her a nod. Ava figures, correctly, that Sara might want the extra time walking affords to get back into 'captain' mode. He nods, then gives Sara another hug.

"Be careful. Don't do anything stupid."

"I won't." Ava can tell he believes it about as much as she does. Then he looks over at Ava again as Sara comes down the stairs.

"Remember what I said earlier." He's got a small smile, but Ava knows he's sincere. His concern for Sara is completely understandable, of course.

"I'll keep doing my best, I promise."

"Thank you." After a moment of quiet while they all look at each other, Sara starts taking a few backward steps down the walkway.

"Night, Dad. Dinner was fantastic."

"Goodnight, Mr. Lance." Ava adds, and he give them another smile.

"Get back safe, girls."

"Love you, Dad."

"You too, sweetheart." Sara and Ava walk to the sidewalk and turn around for a last wave, which he returns before going back inside. The night air is pleasantly warm, despite it only being early spring, and they walk in silence for a bit down the street before Ava takes Sara's hand and gives it a squeeze.

"You okay?" 

"Yeah. Dinner was great, but it's just tough saying goodbye. Especially when he's going back inside an empty place." It's bittersweet, getting to see him but then having to leave.

"That just shows how much you love each other." Ava gives her shoulder a bump. "It helps having a set time to come back though, I hope?" Sara nods.

"Set for him at least, but yeah."

"And, he may be alone tonight, but he said Elise is back from that conference in a few days." That makes Sara grimace slightly.

"Uh, don't put it that way, please." Ava laughs. "But I'm glad. I'm sure she's nice, and if she makes him happy, then I'm happy." The use of the same phrase makes Ava wonder if Sara knows just how much like her father she is. "I'm looking forward to meeting her." Sara scrunches her face up. "Though, after the divorce I'm surprised he'd go for another university professor."

"He probably has great taste, like you do." Ava's deadpan comment makes Sara roll her eyes, amused. After they've walked some more in comfortable silence, getting closer to the Palmer building, with a flick of their joined hands Sara asks, 

"Hey, what did he mean by 'Remember what I said earlier'? That sounded ominous." The question makes Ava stutter step, and she's unsure for a second how much to say.

"When you went to the bathroom we kept talking, that's all." Sara sees through innocent-sounding vagueness.

"Oh great, was that 'the talk' where he said if you hurt me he'd break your legs?" Ava chuckles.

"If I hurt you, you could break my legs yourself. Or worse." True, Sara mentally agrees. "And no, not really. It was basically him saying to look after you, and to make sure you're always able to come home." That makes Sara stiffen. Warily,

"You didn't tell him about dealing with a dimension-hopping demon, did you?"

"No, of course not. That wouldn't have gone over well. I told him I'd keep trying my best, as would everyone else." Sara leans over to give Ava a sweet kiss. "If you'd stop making it so difficult."

"Me?" Sara's surprised and can't believe what Ava's just said. "You're the one who was shot and left for dead last, remember? Your parents should be saying that to me, not the other way around." Ava rolls her eyes.

"Yes, when you meet my parents they'll tell you to make sure I'm not shot. Since HR is such a dangerous field to be in."

"Well... well, they would if they knew what you really did."

"Yeah, they probably would. After they each collapsed in shock." Ava gets back to the main point. "He's just watching out for you. He's a dad worried about his daughter and he knows what kind of trouble you can get into. So I said I'd keep trying to make sure the worst didn't happen. Again, that is." She takes Sara's hand again. "I want you sticking around a while longer too, so it's a win-win. You stay alive, and he hopefully doesn't hate me."

"He said he likes you." He also said Sara should keep her around because it's clearly the real thing (and he's right), but she doesn't have to tell Ava that.

"Good, then it's working already." Sara stops walking, pulling Ava closer and giving her another long, sweet kiss.

"I love you." Every time Sara says it, Ava's heart swells.

"Love you too."

"I'm glad you two got along okay. Thank you for coming."

"I'm glad you wanted me to meet him. And besides, you know it's hard to say no to you, even if I'd wanted to."

"And yet you still say no all the time." Ava smirks.

"I said hard, not impossible."

"Yeah, well, same to you." Sara teases. It prompts Ava to smile some more, pull her closer while they link arms, and they continue walking in the warm night air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to say thank you to everyone who read this. Not just those who commented or left kudos, but everyone. I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you so much.  
> Now that this is done, and I don't have to worry about being subconsciously influenced, I can't wait to start reading all the great Avalance fics lots of you have written!


End file.
